Category: appetizers

Thank you all for bearing with me while I work on a few other projects I have going on! I apologize for the lack of posts, but I will try to share and blog recipes as much as I can! Since my life has been extremely hectic lately, I’ve really been leaning on 5 Min Meals to stay healthy! I know time is usually a very big obstacle for most people when it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle and I want to show you that a healthy, meal can be made in just minutes!!

These 5 Min Spinach & Goat Cheese Quesadillas are easy to make and really delicious! Both kids and adults will love this easy recipe! These quesadillas keep well in the fridge for a few days so feel free to make them ahead of time to take to work or school for lunch.

5 Min Spinach & Goat Cheese Quesadilla Recipe

You’ll need:

2 tortillas – I like using uncooked tortillas, I found Two Tias brand at Costco

1 handful baby spinach

2 Tbs chevre style goat cheese crumbles

1/4 an avocado

salsa

Place one tortilla in a large cast iron skillet over med-high heat. Layer it first with 1 Tbs goat cheese crumbles, then add avocado, fresh spinach leaves, another Tbs of goat cheese, and then finally, top with the second tortilla. Let sit for about 2-3 mins, continuously checking the bottom of the tortilla. Once the tortilla has started to brown. Press down with a spatula and then flip the entire quesadilla over. Let sit for another 2-3 minutes.

Once your tortilla is browned on both sides, remove from skillet and cut into 4 sections with a very sharp knife.

2 tortillas – I like using uncooked tortillas, I found this brand at Costco

1 hadful baby spinach

2 Tbs chevre style goat cheese crumbles

1/4 an avocado

salsa

Instructions

Place one tortilla in a large cast iron skillet over med-high heat. Layer it first with 1 Tbs goat cheese crumbles, then add avocado, fresh spinach leaves, another Tbs of goat cheese, and then finally, top with the second tortilla. Let sit for about 2-3 mins, continuously checking the bottom of the tortilla. Once the tortilla has started to brown. Press down with a spatula and then flip the entire quesadilla over. Let sit for another 2-3 minutes.

Once your tortilla is browned on both sides, remove from skillet and cut into 4 sections with a very sharp knife.

Don’t forget to sign up for my FREE Newsletter by entering your name and email address in the upper left hand corner of this page. I’ve got lots of fun stuff, exclusive content, and an exciting offer available to subscribers only!!

Add all your ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until all ingredients are combined. Taste and adjust flavors as needed.

That’s it! A simple salad ready in 5 mins!

This is great on it’s own, as a side, on top of a green leafy salad, in pita bread, a cabbage leaf or lettuce leaf as a wrap! I also think it would pair very well as a side to grilled salmon or grilled steak. I hope you enjoy this easy 5 Minute Chopped Chickpea Salad as much as I do! You can see more of my fast easy 5 min meals here!

5 Minute Chopped Chickpea Salad

Recipe Type: salad

Cuisine: medeterranian

Author: Linda Wagner

Prep time: 5 mins

Total time: 5 mins

Serves: 6

Ingredients

two 16 ounce cans of chickpeas, drained

1 medium cucumber, diced

1 green bell pepper, seeded and diced

1/2 white onion, diced

1 cup cherry tomatoes, diced

1 cup parsley, chopped fine

juice of 2 lemons, about 4 Tbs

2 Tbs olive oil

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp Italian seasoning

1/2 tsp smoked paprika blend, I used this one

2 Tbs goat feta cheese

Instructions

Add all your ingredients to a large mixing bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until all ingredients are combined. Taste and adjust flavors as needed.

Don’t forget to sign up for my FREE Newsletter by entering your name and email address in the upper left hand corner of this page. I’ve got lots of fun stuff, exclusive content, and an exciting offer available to subscribers only!!

Here in Austin, the weather is FINALLY starting to feel like spring! It’s been amazing to see the sun again and get to spend some much needed time outside. With warmer weather I always start to get questions on “how to lose weight and get in shape fast” and I always say my secret weapon is simply raw vegetables. Weather you juice them, blend them, or chew them, raw veggies are an essential part of cleansing and tonifying the body. Raw veggies are also loaded with amazing health benefits that will make you feel amazing from the inside out!

These beautiful Rainbow Rolls are one of my favorite healthy snacks and a great way to boost your raw veggie intake! These rolls are absolutely gorgeous and taste amazing! I admit, I used to be very intimidated with the thought of making any kind of sushi roll, but it’s actually super easy. Give yourself a few practice runs and you’ll get the hang of it in no time!

This roll alone is bursting with nutrients to support cellular detoxification and cleansing:

Cucumber is rich in B vitamins, water, electrolytes, silicon and sulfur to support hydration, liver, kidney, skin, and immune system health.

Carrots provide antioxidants and vitamin A which helps the liver to cleanse toxins out of the body. Carrots also support the skin and help to create that beautiful GLOW.

Green & Purple Cabbage is low in fat, high in fiber, supports healthy blood pressure, and acts as a natural anti-inflammatory. It is rich in vitamin C, vitamin K, B6, manganese, sulfur, and potassium. Cabbage also has well-known cancer preventative compounds lupeol, sinigrin and sulforaphane. They stimulate enzyme activity and inhibit the growth of cancer tumors. A Study on women showed a reduction in breast cancer when cruciferous vegetables like cabbage were added to their diet. (source)

Avocados are rich in vitamin K, folate, vitamin C, potassium, B5, B6, and vitamin E. They also contain high amounts of oleic acid which has been linked to reduced inflammation and been shown to have beneficial effects on genes linked to cancer!

Nori (seaweed) is surprisingly rich in protein – 100 grams of nori contain between 30 and 50 grams of protein, making it one of the plant world’s richest sources of protein! Nori is also naturally high in iron, iodine, vitamin A, vitamin C, thiamine, magnesium, riboflavin, niacin, folate, zinc, and potassium. It supports healthy cholesterol, acts as an anti-cancer agent (due to high amounts of vitamin C), supports healthy thyroid function, eyesight, and clear skin.

Who knew you could get that much nutrition out of a modest little veggie roll?!

2 sheets Nori (you can usually find Nori in the Asian section of you local grocery store)

This will make about 2 rolls, double, triple, quadruple your ingredients as desired!

Place a sheet of nori shiny side down on a cutting board or sushi mat. Note, a sushi mat is extremely helpful but not 100% necessary.

At the bottom edge of your nori, layer on a small amount of each ingredient. Keep in mind, less is more for this step since most people tend to over-stuff. The more volume you have, the harder it is to roll.

Lift up the edge of the sushi mat closest to you with both thumbs then fold it over your ingredients, squeezing slightly to keep all the ingredients inside. Continue to roll your sushi until you get about an inch from the opposite end. Wet your fingers with some water and then wipe the remaining edge of your nori. Then finish rolling. This step ensures that your roll will stick together.

Use a very sharp knife to cut into 1 inch slices.

If you are like me, it’s much easier to learn when you have a great visual so I’ve included this instructional video by my friend Russel James, The Raw Chef, he’s much better at explaining the process than me!

I know it seems intimidating at first, but I promise the process is actually quite easy and once you make a few rolls, you’ll get the hang of it and want to make it all the time!

I used this dressing to dip and it was DELICIOUS!! You could also use a spicy peanut dip if you like something a little thicker. Both are fabulous!

I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I do! I’ll be posting more raw food recipes through out the coming weeks. In the mean time, you can see all of my raw food recipes here.

Don’t forget to sign up for my FREE Newsletter by entering your name and email address in the upper left hand corner of this page. I’ve got lots of fun stuff, exclusive content, and an exciting offer available to subscribers only!!

I’ve been researching the health benefits of apple cider vinegar (ACV) and wanted to find a way to reap the benefits without having to do a shot of vinegar or take a bunch of pills. I’ve also been looking for a great recipe for pickled veggies, like the ones I love from my favorite Mexican restaurant in town. After searching for recipes, I had a light bulb moment and realized that I could get the best of both worlds by using ACV to pickle the veggies! Amazing health benefits + delicious flavor = win, win!

In a large pot over high heat, bring water to a boil. Once water is boiling, remove from heat and add carrots. Let them site for about 5 minutes and then add remaining ingredients. Stir to combine and let sit and cool for 1-2 hrs.

Store in glass jars and refrigerate.

You can eat your pickled veggies right away but they are best after a day or two in the fridge!

Notes:

If you don’t like spicy food, you can reduce or omit the jalepeno and/or black pepper.

You can use any crunchy vegetable. Beets, cauliflower, etc. would be lovely addittions!

I think I will omit the oil in my next batch or at least reduce it, I didn’t find it necessary.

If you prefer softer veggies, you can keep the water at a boil for up to 5 minutes after adding the veggies. I personally prefer the crunch!

These pickled veggies are great as a snack, side dish, addition to quinoa bowls, salads, or sandwiches! I can’t wait to make more variations using different veggies! Plus you get all the amazing benefits of apple cider vinegar with every delicious bite!! xo

Don’t forget to sign up for my FREE Newsletter by entering your name and email address in the upper left hand corner of this page. I’ve got lots of fun stuff, exclusive content, and an exciting offer available to subscribers only!!

This Gluten-Free Asian Noodle Salad instantly became a favorite of mine! It’s an even lighter take on my traditional Chinese Chicken Salad. I’ve added gluten free “rice stick” noodles which give it really nice texture. I found these rice stick noodles at Porno my local health food store (Central Market if you are in Texas) but you can also find them at Asian groceries or online. Here are the ones I used, also known as vermicelli.

The great thing about these noodles is that they are super clean and made of simply rice and water. That’s it! They are very versatile and can be eaten hot or cold and added to soups, salads, and spring rolls.

This awesome recipe takes just minutes to throw together and will fit with almost any dietary needs or restrictions. It’s great for weight loss as well as being:

gluten free

dairy free

low sugar

low cal

low fat

vegan

My mom said that she always used these rice noodles as her secret weapon to lose weight when she was young! These noodle salads taste absolutely amazing while still being filling and satisfying.

Next, fill a large pot with salted water and bring to a boil. Add rice stick noodles and cook for 3 minutes then drain.

Finally, in a large mixing bowl add cabbage, shredded carrots, shredded zucchini, cilantro, cooked noodles and enough dressing to coat and mix until well incorporated (kitchen tongs work well for this). Taste and adjust amount of dressing as needed.

Garnish with sesame seeds and hot peppers. You can also top with more cilantro and green onion if you like!

Divide into bowls or onto plates and enjoy!! Serves 4.

If you’re getting bored of the same old salads over and over, this one is sure to spice things up! It’s so easy to throw together on a busy weeknight and you can feel great about eating it since it’s dairy free, gluten free, well combined, and vegetarian friendly. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! Enjoy!!

LET’S WORK TOGETHER!

All of my One-on-One Sessions and Session Packages are 10% off this week!! Let’s get you feeling confident and happy in your skin and ready for swimsuit season! I’ll help you every step of the way and show you how to make healthy eating & weight loss enjoyable and tons of fun!! Use coupon code SPRING10 at checkout! xo

Don’t forget to sign up for my FREE Newsletter by entering your name and email address in the upper left hand corner of this page. I’ve got lots of fun stuff, exclusive content, and an exciting offer available to subscribers only!!

Next, in a large mixing bowl add cabbage, shredded carrots, cilantro, cooked noodles and enough dressing to coat and mix until well incorporated (kitchen tongs work well for this). Taste and adjust amount of dressing as needed.

Garnish with sesame seeds and hot peppers. You can also add more cilantro and green onion if you like!

You’ll want to make a double or triple batch of these delicious Zucchini Fritters…better yet, make that a quadruple batch (they freeze well too)!! These suckers are sooooo good!! They also make excellent vegetarian meatballs for your pasta dishes.

Don’t forget to sign up for my FREE Newsletter by entering your name and email address in the upper left hand corner of this page. I’ve got lots of fun stuff, exclusive content, and an exciting offer available to subscribers only!!